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Could it be that we've inadvertently timed our five-part pre-season series to coincide with the end of the lockout? With the players and owners at least gaining traction in their talks on a new CBA this past week, optimism is cautiously up that we'll have a fantasy hockey season this winter. And perhaps even restart it just as we wrap up our positional Ten Up, Five Down glances today with the centremen? Let's hope so. If not, this will probably be the final Fantasy Fare until the two sides finally do get their acts together and training camps are underway. Or, until baseball's spring training arrives "¦ whichever comes first.

TEN UP

Eric Staal CAR: Will see his consistent scoring totals increase should he remain at centre with new arrival Alexander Semin on his right flank, finally giving the 'Canes captain a wingman with a matching skill set. Or, he could wind up shifting to the wing alongside his brother, newly acquired Jordan. Either way, his famtasy owners can't go wrong.

Derek Stepan NYR: Assuming the Rangers don't load up their top line, his setup skills will likely wind up with a quality outlet in either Rick Nash or Marian Gaborik.

Mikko Koivu MIN: Underrated top-drawer playmaker now has not one, but two snipers to dish to in Zach Parise and Dany Heatley. It's not a stretch that he could lead the NHL in assists this year.

Tyler Ennis BUF: If he can pick up where he left off last season -- centring one of the hottest lines in the NHL with Drew Stafford and Marcus Foligno -- he could double his 34-point total.

Sidney Crosby PIT: Not much to say here that you don't already know. He's still the best player in the game and if last year's concussion recovery drops him out of the top half dozen or so picks, grab him and offer up a worthy sacrifice to the fantasy gods as a gesture of thanks.

Nicklas Backstrom WSH: He totalled 44 points in 42 games in a defence-first system and, like his linemate Alex Ovechkin, should help out his fantasy numbers more than the Caps' won-lost ledger under Adam Oates' more free-wheeling game plan.

Ryan Getzlaf ANA: Let's just call it an off-year for the entire first line of the Ducks. He'll drop a few rounds in most drafts after scoring just 11 goals with a minus-11 last year.

Matt Duchene COL: His rise hit a brick wall in his third season with a slow start, then knee and ankle injuries and, finally, just three points in his final 17 games. Still, he showed his first two years what he is capable of and sounds determined to get back to that level.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins EDM: He will be among the top 10 scorers soon enough, but for his second NHL season, provided he stays healthy, natural evolution should lift him to a 20- to 25-point increase, though the plus-minus figures will remain soft.

Andy McDonald STL: A great late-round sleeper after a concussion cost him most of last season and limited him to 22 points. One of the NHL's better playmakers, he has a couple of promising young snipers on his wings in David Backes and T.J. Oshie.

Adam Henrique NJ: His 51-point rookie season was the result of having Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk as his linemates for most of the year. But he finished the playoffs on the third line and should he wind up there again, would be hard-pressed to avoid the sophomore jinx.

Jussi Jokinen CAR: Stats have been in decline three years in a row and his fantasy stock takes a further hit if, with the arrival of Jordan Staal, he gets bumped down to the third line.

Tyler Bozak TOR: Is his time finally up as the Leafs' default No. 1 centre? Training camp will tell. The team is determined to find a more suitable complement to Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul and if/when it does, Bozak's fantasy value tumbles.

David Desharnais MON: He's not your prototypical No. 1 centreman and isn't a lock to remain one with Tomas Plekanec around. Guys who stand at 5-foot-7 and throw their bodies around as willingly as he does seldom hold up physically. Think Dan Daoust of the 1970s Leafs.

Saku Koivu ANA: Unlike his linemate and fellow Finn, Teemu Selanne, the 'Next Exit: Retirement' sign has been flashing for a while, now. The Ducks have a few promising kids ready to get their shot as the No. 2 centre.